SAN ANGELO STAMPEDE: Opportunity knocked

Stampede's Ross envisions new shot at NFL

Derrick Ross, runningback for the San Angelo Stampede Express, named Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Eva Padilla

Kimberley Parker/Special to the Standard Times Offensive Rookie of the Year, RB Derrick Ross, San Angelo Stampede Espress, takes a break to talk with team mates, Thursday, June 24, 2010, during team practice. shot/archived 06.24.10

San Angelo Stampede Express’ rusher Derrick Ross (10) tried to find a weak point in the Arkansas Diamond defense, but was wrapped up and dropped by two Diamond defenders after a short gain during Staurday’s Indoor Football League game of the week at the San Angelo Coliseum.

Photo by Arthur Spragg/Special to the Standard-Times

What: IFL first-round playoff game.

When: 7:05 p.m. Monday.

Where: San Angelo Coliseum.

Records: San Angelo is 10-4. Fairbanks is 9-5.

Of note: This is San Angelo's first-ever home playoff game.

Derrick Ross is an opportunist.

The star running back for the San Angelo Stampede Express was given an opportunity to resume the football career he had put on hold and he made the most of it this season.

Leading the Indoor Football League with 824 rushing yards, Ross earned Rookie of the Year honors and was named to the All-IFL team while helping the Stampede to the best regular season record in franchise history at 10-4.

"The crazy thing is that the first game of the season he played linebacker for us, and had no qualms about it" Stampede head coach Clint Dolezel said. "He's a guy with a lot of athletic ability and even though he is a running back by trade, he will do whatever you ask of him. He's a team guy."

Once Ross did get a chance to run the ball, he solidified himself as the featured back, averaging over 102 yards per contest and scoring nine touchdowns in his first three games.

Rushing yards are harder to come by in the indoor game — the field is much shorter and more narrow with less spaces to find daylight. Ross' stats were opening eyes around the league.

The scenario played out in a similar fashion earlier in Ross' career.

Each time an opportunity would present itself, he seized the moment.

At Huntsville High School, just north of Houston, he did not start at running back until his senior season.

That year, he ran for 1,310 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Hornets, earning All-District honors and received a scholarship to Blinn, a junior college in Brenham.

"My freshman year there was another running back that started in front of me, so I just sat on the bench for a while," Ross said of his time in Brenham. "I worked really hard and my sophomore year became the starter and ended up having a pretty good season."

Playing in a predominantly passing offense, Ross felt he became a better team player and began to develop a more aggressive running style as he waited for an opportunity to show his wares.

"There was a lot of passing," Ross said. "It taught me not to be selfish, not to want the ball all the time. When I did get carries I had to make something of them."

He did just that, setting the single season school record with 1,629 yards and finding his way to the end zone 22 times for another record.

Ross' yardage total was the third highest in the nation in 2003, he averaged 7.8 yards per carry that season.

Those statistics got him noticed at the next level and soon he found himself being pursued by a number of NCAA Division II schools, before deciding on Tarleton State.

The Texans also relied heavily on the pass, but Ross was comfortable with the coaching staff and felt that he would be given a fair shot.

"I knew that I wasn't going to get the ball much," Ross said. "Again I just had to make all my chances count, take advantage of every opportunity.

"Having that attitude, I just fought harder and harder for every yard and that became my running style.

In his Tarleton State debut, Ross ran for a then-school record 261 yards on just 20 carries.

He would finish the season claiming another record with 1,560 yards and 22 scores, averaging over 6 yards each time he touched the ball.

The nation's fourth-leading rusher earned All-American and All-Lone Star Conference accolades to close out the 2004 campaign.

His final season at Tarleton, Ross captured LSC Player of the Year honors as he added another 1,512 yards to his impressive totals.

He topped his own single game mark with a 19-carry, 269-yard performance against Western New Mexico and moved up to third in the nation in total yards, drawing attention from National Football League scouts.

Getting invited to the NFL's Indianapolis Combine as a Division II prospect does not happen very often, but that is exactly what happened in Ross' case.

Heading into the 2006 Draft, a scout made the following notes concerning Ross after following his career at Tarleton:

"Ross is a punishing inside runner and a classic chain-mover. He has a thick frame that he uses very effectively to move the pile. In 19 games with the (Tarleton State) Texans, he ran for more than 100 yards 17 times and scored at least one touchdown in every game."

Just like he had several other times in his life, Ross made the most of the opportunity at the combine and was side-by-side on the leader board with names like Reggie Bush, Lendale White and Maurice Jones-Drew.

"I knew I had to do something extra being a Division II back ," Ross said. "At the end of the combine, I was in the top three in almost every category — the shuttle, broad jump, vertical. I was just trying to go hard every time, just trying to show everybody that I really can play at the next level."

Several teams were intrigued, but none took the risk on Ross and he sat through the draft broadcast without hearing his name called.

The next day he received a call from the Kansas City Chiefs inviting him to training camp as an undrafted free agent.

The Chief's featured back, Priest Holmes, was pondering retirement after suffering a career-threatening neck injury, and they needed a back up to Larry Johnson who was to enter the season as the new starter.

"That was the opportunity I was looking for," Ross said. "I knew if I just had a chance I could prove that I belonged."

Ross did enough to impress first-year Kansas City head coach Herm Edwards and earned an NFL contract.

He vividly recalls stepping onto the field at Houston's Reliant Stadium for the first preseason game of the 2006 season.

Playing close to his hometown of Huntsville, several of his family and friends were in attendance.

He did whatever was asked of him during his first 16-game season, relishing any chance to step on the field and finding his role on special teams.

At the conclusion of the season, Edwards met with Ross and asked him to represent the team in NFL Europa and continue working on his game.

It was another opportunity for Ross to excel.

Playing for the Cologne (Germany) Centurions in the NFLEL's final season, Ross led the league with 933 yards from scrimmage and earned the NFL Europa Most Valuable Player award.

It was on the way back from Germany, with his spirits were on top of the world, when Ross got the news that would slam the brakes on his meteoric rise.

"I was sitting at the airport in Dallas watching ESPN," Ross said. "Priest Holmes decided he was coming back."

After missing the 2006 season and contemplating retirement, Holmes and his big-money contract was ready to return to action.

Larry Johnson had established himself as the starter and Ross was left as the odd man out and was released from the organization.

Over the next two years, he slipped into a deep depression as he realized the dreams he had come so close to making the reality had slipped away.

Stampede coach Clint Dolezel heard Ross was interested in playing again and quickly made arrangements to bring him in.

"He was a no-brainer in my opinion," Dolezel said. "Just for his size alone. I'm kind of an old school arena guy and he fits that mold I like of a bigger back."

Ross had never heard of the IFL, but the 26 year old was willing to go wherever and do whatever to begin his climb back to the NFL.

"It's difficult to get back up there," Dolezel said. "But he is still really young and this year did nothing but help him. I would think he will get some kind of shot, there's no reason he should not be playing fullback for somebody.

On Thursday, Ross received word that the Dallas Cowboys are looking for a fullback and requested game film from this season.